Imphal: The Women’s Wing of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) has demanded the government to stop arms recovery from Meitei village defence volunteers unless the government provides a written assurance of full security in vulnerable areas against attacks by Kuki militants.
The Meitei villages have been facing Kuki militants attacks since May last year.
Talking to reporters at Cocomi office, here, Y. Leirik Leima, coordinator of the Cocomi Women’s Wing and president of Kanglamei, said, since the onset of the ongoing crisis, the central government has allegedly remained a silent spectator to the activities and violence perpetrated by the Kukis and Kuki militants.
Leims said the central government has given Kuki militants a free hand to attack the Meiteis during the ongoing crisis. In response to the failure of state and central forces to provide proper security measures, Meiteis have taken up arms to defend their villages against these attacks.
“We will collect and submit all the looted arms from the state armory, which are being used to defend villages if the government provides a written assurance that all villagers will be protected from any attacks by Kuki militants,” said Leirik Leima.
If the government fails to provide this written assurance, no recovery of arms will be allowed in Meitei-inhabited vulnerable areas. She added.
The women’s wing leader said it will not take responsibility for those misusing arms on the streets for vested interests.
The women are prepared to take up swords and sticks to protect the village defence volunteers if the government continues conducting search operations in Meitei-inhabited fringe areas, Leima said.
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